Korea Hopes to Sell FA-50 Fighter Jets to Philippines

Korea hopes to export 12 FA-50 light fighter jets to the Philippines. The Philippine Air Force wants to buy 12 light attack aircraft in two years and Korea Aerospace Industries' FA-50 is competing against Italy's M-346, a government source here said.

The source claimed there is a "high likelihood" that the FA-50s will win.

The FA-50 is a light attack version of the Korean-made T-50 supersonic trainer jet. This would be the first export.

Philippine ABS-CBN TV on Wednesday also reported that the Korean jet is likely to get the nod.

One FA-50 costs approximately W34.1 billion (US$1=W1,151).

The Philippines is boosting its air defenses due to a conflict with China over Scarborough Shoal (or Huangyan Island in Chinese) in the South China Sea. Two military aircraft presumed to belong to China recently flew over the shoal.